OhShape is the newest dancing rhythm VR game. This seems to be the most popular VR game genre right now, and Odders Lab is capitalizing on the opportunity to create a game that is relevant to the audience inside of virtual reality. You will be dancing and completing shapes with your body to pass each level. Although there are plenty of games in this genre right now, Odders Lab delivers a game that is original and fun the second you jump in.
In our in-depth game reviews, we look to cover everything you’d want to know about a virtual reality game before you go and buy or try a virtual title. From the accuracy of the shape detection to the somewhat original soundtrack, we will be covering everything you need to know about OhShape before you download this game. If you think we missed anything about the game or suggestions to our review criteria, let us know in the comments below!
Getting Up and Running
Getting up and running inside of OhShape is no different than any other virtual title, although you might want to be in some stretchy clothes to ensure you have your full range of motion while getting into shape. The price of this game is $14.99 and can be found on the Steam Store, the Oculus Rift Store, Oculus Quest Store, and even inside of Viveport. If you are looking for this game at a discounted or free download price, you can find it as a part of the Viveport Infinity subscription. We aren’t sure how long this game will be inside of Infinity, but as of December 2019, you can download it for free.
As for the file size, its nothing too large or special. You will need about 500 MB of free space on your PC before downloading. Once you are in the game, you’ll have the option to download some more music. That will be taking some storage space, but this game won’t be taking any more than 1 GB on your hard drive at any given time. If you are looking for a small game for some afternoon fun, this is a great place to start.
Type of Game
This is a rhythm dancing VR game, and there’s not much else to it. The devs are saying that this game is inspired by a Japanese TV show called ‘Hole in the Wall’, and that you will feel like you are inside of the show while playing this game. Although we have never seen this show, we understand the concept pretty well after playing the game for a long while. Regardless of skill and VR experience, there is going to be a wide range of ways to play this game.
As for the music and levels in this game, there are 12 different levels with 12 different songs. Although we would’ve loved to see more music than what we have, what the devs did got the job done. With all 12 levels, you are able to choose your difficulty, share with friends, and much more. You can upload your own levels, choose community uploaded levels, and check your progress inside of the local and global leaderboards.
Player Perspective
This game is played from the first-person perspective, but it takes a bit of a different route than most other VR games that have this style of perspective. Instead of seeing your hands or arms or even legs in this game, you’ll see your shadow while the approaching walls are close to you. You look like a slim man who is dancing, a nice compliment to anyone playing the game. This view will give you a view of your entire body throughout different parts of the game.
Theme and Story – Score: 7/10
There isn’t much of a story here unless you are using your imagination about the supposed hilarious Japanese TV show. The theme is what carried this game to the promised land of a 7, and the theme is also the only part of the game that wasn’t crystal clear. You are dancing in a rhythm-based game with the objective of getting past each level, but there’s not much more than that. There is room for improvement here, but its not bad enough to get anything below a 7.
Controls – Score: 6/10
There aren’t many controls in this game, and outside of the menu options, there aren’t any controls. While you are dancing, your controllers become trackers for you and don’t have any input capabilities. Unless you are trying to get to the menu in the middle of a song or level, you won’t be doing much with the controllers. Any sort of input for this game would’ve been appreciated. Whether it be clenching your hands for some movement, or even pressing a button each time you pass through a dedicated wall, it would have helped the score.
Music and Sound – Score: 9/10
The music and sound in here was great. Original music made for the game and mapped to your movement was exactly what this game needed. The only way it could improve? Some well-known music making an appearance. Imagine Dragons and Green Day inside of Beat Saber made us fall in love with the music all over again. The same idea could be deployed here, even if they aren’t the biggest artists inside of OhShape early on. Giving artists a new platform is something they will always appreciate. OhShape needs to capitalize on their new-found platform.
Player Movement – Score: 8/10
The player movement in this game was done fantastic. In fact, the way you move wasn’t the reason the score got knocked here. The idea of how much you move and what you move is what set this game back. Early on, like most humans, we found a loophole in the game. We found that putting our hands in the demanded spot allowed us to keep our body in the same static location. We understand VR is more fun when you buy into the idea of the game, but we could’ve gone with more arm-centered movements in this game.
Kinetosis – Score: 9/10
Lucky for us, we have our VR legs underneath us and simply loved this game. If you are used to virtual reality, you won’t have any problems with this game. If you are new to the movement systems inside of this gaming platform, you might experience some motion sickness early on. Because you are standing still and the game is coming to you, it is much easier to get familiar with the way you move in OhShape.
Environment and Immersion – Score: 7/10
This was a place in the game that the developers simply missed the dunk. All the environment needs is some dedicated time. For all 12 levels, the environment was the same. When you first load in, it looks fantastic. When you are playing for your 9th time, you are already sick of it. Some creativity and different looks and colors are needed here and the score would likely become a solid 10/10.
Overall – Score: 7.6/10
This game is a fun play, but nothing that is going to be staying in our library for too long. There is a lot that the devs could do to improve this game, and a lot of it will hopefully come with more time on the digital storefronts. For a free download from Viveport Infinity, we think this game is worth a shot. It is not the best game in the world, but it is enough to get you out of your chair and moving around from time to time.
